Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his German counterpart on the current investigation into allegations that Riol Chemie GmbH supplied toxic chemicals to Russia.

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has not had discussions with his German counterpart regarding their investigation into the German company Riol-Chemie GmbH for suppling toxic chemicals to Russia. We work closely with our allies and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to prevent the proliferation and deter the use of chemical weapons. On 8 October 2024, the UK announced sanctions on Russia's Radiological, Chemical and Biological Defence Troops, its commander Igor Kirillov, and two of its subordinate laboratories for their involvement in the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. We will continue to work with our partners to uphold and protect the Chemical Weapons Convention's ban on the development, production, transfer or use of chemical weapons.